MP40

Popular culture has portrayed the MP40 as the most common weapon in the hands of German soldiers during World War II. This is actually incorrect, as the bolt-action Karabiner 98k was more common, but in films, television, and especially in video games, the MP40 will be seen issued on at least a one-to-one basis with the Kar 98k, and is often more common than it.

There are a number of common errors related to the magazine; the MP40's straight dual-column, single-feed magazine was notoriously prone to misfeeding if used as a grip, and the correct grip is either to grasp the magazine well or support the underside of the weapon directly behind it (see how the masked assailant fires the MP40 at Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark). However, it is not strictly incorrect for an actor to grip the magazine, as a wealth of stock photographs exist of real soldiers holding their weapons in this way. Additionally, the MP40 magazine was prone to spring failures if fully loaded; rather than being loaded with a full 32 rounds, soldiers would typically use 30 or 28. Videogames will almost always show them with a full 32 rounds.

The MP40 sub-machine gun (or one of its variants) can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Video Game

MP41

The MP41. It was produced and used in small quantities in 1941 to 1942.

Haenel/Schmeisser MP41 was a copy of the MP40 produced from 1941-42. It saw usage with the SS and Police during World War II. It featured wooden furniture and a wooden stock. Production ended because of legal action by the designers of the MP40. Unlike the MP38 and MP40, the MP41 had a cross-bolt button fire selector taken from the MP28 allowing it to fire in semi-auto.